This invention relates to a multi-purpose physical exercising apparatus in form of a stationary exercise bicycle.
Stationary exercise bicycles have already been proposed in the prior art, having a pedal mechanism which must be operated by a user. One proposal suggests a device which is patterned after ordinary, mobile bicycles and wherein the pedals are operated with the user either positioned on a seat or else standing on the pedals and holding on to a support element of the frame. The vertical distance between the seat and the pedals can be adjusted.
Another proposal suggests the use of a support surface on which a user can be seated or lying, and which is so positionted that the user is at a level below the pedal mechanism. This support surface can be horizontally moved relative to the pedal mechanism so that a user can readily reach the pedals with his or her hands or feet. In both proposals it has been sugtested to make the position of the pedal mechanism itself vertically adjustable, so as to enable a user to carry out exercises requiring different kinds of leg positions.
According to the second proposal, the pedals do not usually act upon a mass (such as a fly wheel) which offers any significant amount of inertia. This is unlike the first-mentioned proposal, wherein such a mass is generally provided. The devices according to the second proposal are, as a general rule, intended to be of the collapsible, i.e. foldable type; this means that there is little room to provide a relatively large pedal mechanism and associated heavy intertial mass. The absence of such a mass, however, results in a non-uniform, jerking rotation of the pedal mechanism when the same is braked in order to increase the required operating force -- and hence to demand greater exertion of the user's musculature. To some extent, this can be counteracted by the use of relatively short arms on the pedal mechanism.
It would be desirable to provide a device of the second type which is basically constructed as described above, but includes an Ergometer as known from the first-mentioned type of device, or a computer-controlled energy-measuring and indicating device. From a practical point of view, however, the high costs of these items of equipment (i.e. Ergometer and the like) makes this impossible because such equipment may cost between twice and four times the price of the basic exercise device.